Ginger: A water talent that wants to be a light talent.Stargazer: A light talent that wants to be a garden talent.

It’s totally lame that this story is pretty much only conversation. But it’s the only way I can get a firmer grip on my characters’ personalities!

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Ginger Rainglow Meets Stargazer Nightcloud

Luna Appleblossom was having a party at her house. Her best friend Jade Merrywings came, and she also invited her friends Stormy Seastone, Mahogany, and Stargazer Nightcloud and asked them to invite whoever else they wanted.

“I heard some new fairies arrived recently,” said Stormy. “We should invite them.”

So they invited Cinnamon Copperbeam and Lavender Vanillaberry.

While Jade put out some tea, Luna flew out and put an ad up on the Fairy Postings board for her party, and two other fairies arrived, Ginger Rainglow and Almond Tanglebreeze.

“Welcome to my party!” said Luna when everyone had gathered. “I’ve got some freshly brewed cherry blossom tea for everyone.”

“I brought some nuts and berries from the Pantry,” said Mahogany.

“I brought some lemon tarts,” said Stargazer Nightcloud.

“So let’s get to know everyone,” said Luna when all the fairies had gathered their goodies and arranged themselves on Luna’s various pieces of furniture. “Let’s just do introductions first–your name, your talent, and your favorite part of Pixie Hollow. I’ll go first. I’m Luna Appleblossom, and this is my home. I’m a garden-talent, and my favorite part of Pixie Hollow is the Pick Up Petals game.”

“I’ll go next,” volunteered Stormy, who was seated on Luna’s right. “I’m Stormy Seastone. I arrived at Pixie Hollow four years ago. I have to say, as a water-talent, my favorite part of Pixie Hollow is Soapstone Stream. I help fish get over it in Bubble Bounce, but I just love how it feels and looks there–all cool and calm, and pretty with so many water lilies.”

Since Stormy had started a trend of going around the circle, Mahogany, on Stormy’s right, continued it. “Okay, I’m Mahogany. I’ve been here just a little longer than Stormy. I’m an animal-talent. I spend a lot of time volunteering at Harvest Hustle, but I think my favorite place is Drowsy Den, where I help the baby animals get to sleep.”

Mahogany looked to Stargazer. “Okay, well, I’m Stargazer. Nightcloud. That’s my name because I like to stargaze, but it’s also the name of a flower that smells incredible, and since I want to be a garden-talent, too, I like to think I’m named after both.” She smiled happily.

“And what’s your favorite part of Pixie Hollow?” Stormy asked.

“Oh! Well… I guess I really like my favorite stargazing spot, Lily Ridge, just outside Rosetta’s Garden. You can really see Reigel from there.”

Mahogany gave her an inquisitive look. “Reigel?”

“Yes, it’s my favorite star. It’s really bright and colorful.”

Mahogany smiled at her, and Luna said, “Thanks, Stargazer. And now we get to meet someone new.”

All eyes turned to the fairy with the lavender eyes. Her cheeks turned a pale shade of pink. “Well, I’m Lavender. Lavender Vanillaberry. I just arrived yesterday. And I’m very happy to be here. Um… I’m a garden-talent fairy, and I’m not sure what my favorite place in Pixie Hollow is yet. But I hear Spring Valley is really beautiful.”

“Welcome, Lavender,” said Luna warmly. Several fairies echoed her.

“But I’d like to get to know you,” said Lavender softly, turning to the fairy on her right. “You’re as beautiful as the queen!”

The fairy next to her laughed a tinkling laugh, and as she did, pixie dust sparkled off of her. “You’re very sweet!” she said. “Thank you.” She turned her eyes to the rest of the circle. “I’m Cinnamon Copperbeam, and I am also newly arrived. But I feel as if I have always lived here. Everything is so fresh and perfect. It’s a lovely place. I’m sure I couldn’t decide on a favorite location even if I had seen it all!”

“What’s your talent?” chimed in the fairy on her right.

“I’m a light-talent. Like Stargazer. Only I don’t know what I specialize in yet,” she said with a smile.

“Well, now, Ginger, you better take your turn,” said Luna to the fairy who had spoken. “Tell us who you are.”

Ginger opened her mouth to speak, shut it again, then said, “Well, I’m not quite sure. See, I’m a fairy who wants to be something other than she is! I’m a water-talent, but I would really like to be a light-talent. Or something that combines them both!”

“That’s very interesting,” said Cinnamon. “Perhaps we can learn together. I start my light-talent classes tomorrow.”

Ginger’s eyes lit up and she leaned forward excitedly. “Really?! That would be great! Do you think they would let me?”

Lavender furrowed her brow. “A baking-talent? I don’t remember there being a baking talent to choose.”

Almond blushed. “It’s a smaller division of fairy talents, I think.”

“They don’t arrive to the same nook of the Pixie Dust Tree that nature-talents do,” Stormy informed them. “They arrive to the nook that contains all the food-related serving talents.”

Almond glanced upward to recall. “Yes, there was a cooking-talent, a tea-making-talent, a baking-talent, a food-gathering-talent, and maybe some others… And we all take turns serving food in the Tearoom at mealtimes. But there’s so many of us it’s hardly any work at all. Not that we’re lazy or anything…” She blushed again.

Ginger laughed. “Lazy! How could you be? You have to get up at 4 in the morning to get all the yummy things baked for all of us! I think it’s really marvelous.”

Cinnamon, as well as several others, looked up on Almond with new respect. “You get up before the first rays of sunlight warm the earth!” said Cinnamon.

“Well, you must, too,” said Almond. “Don’t you help with bringing the sun rays to warm the earth?”

“Well, yes, but we have to,” laughed Cinnamon. “Or else no one else could do their jobs!”

Ginger spoke up again. “And who can work on an empty stomach??”

The fairies laughed and laughed.

“Jade, we still haven’t gotten to you,” said Luna, playfully elbowing her friend.

“Oh, that’s no problem,” she said with a dismissive wave. “It’s great getting to meet so many new people!”

Luna said to the girls, “Jade’s been my best friend since our arrival day!”

“Yeah, ever since animal racing, when her lizard flipped over in the mud and I had to rescue her!” Jade said.

Luna laughed out loud. “Well, if you hadn’t started it by kicking up all that mud in my face–”

“Oh, it’s my fault now! Has nothing to do with the fact that you were distracted by Vanessa Plumlace’s new pet peacock–”

“Hey, I’d never seen one before! It was my first day,” Luna joked, sticking her tongue out at her friend.

“Mine too, you goof, and I was still winning…”

By now, all the other fairies were laughing so hard at the playful volley between the two friends that they had totally forgotten they hadn’t really finished introductions.

“Okay, I think it’s time for some games,” Luna finally ended the goofiness. “Anyone care for more tea?”

BIOGRAPHY: Write a description of your fairy’s life; past and present. Where was she born, how was her family life – has her past affected her in any way? What does she do now? Who are her friends and where does she live? Don’t make it too long – a paragraph will do.

Cinnamon was born during a holiday party on the Mainland. Probably Christmas. (Supposedly they are supposed to be born of a baby’s first laugh, but…meh. Maybe they’re born of laughter and happiness in general.) There were lots of candles and delicious, spiced things cooking. Perhaps mulled wine or cider. She became a light talent, but a very special light talent. When she arrived, she was covered in more pixie dust than fairies usually arrive with, and her glow was more deeply golden than other fairies’. Perhaps she can transform into pure light.

AGE: She is a fairly young fairy, but wise and understanding for her age.

BODY TYPE: Is she wiry and agile, or does she work out and her body is the proof? Remember that thin and skinny can bring up to different images – and maybe she’s small-boned but sturdy.

Doesn’t really matter.

FACE:

COMPLEXION: She’s light-skinned.

EYES: Hazel/light brown. And they’re huge and have long lashes and leave a lasting impression on many. They reflect what a deep person she is.

HAIR: Her hair just hits her shoulders (shortish). She has side bangs that fall over her eyes when she looks down. Her hair is a medium light brown. Her features (skin-hair-eyes) don’t have much contrast. She’s a soft summer skin tone, or maybe a soft autumn.

SPEAKING STYLE: Is she short and to the point? Or is she long winded? Neither. Her intent when she speaks is to add meaning to the lives of others around her. She chooses her words carefully, but is winsome.

GENERAL DEMEANOR: She comes across to others as “deep.”

CAREER/TALENTS: I’m not sure yet… Something unique and special. It might involve candles, since she was born around candles and loves them so much.

PREJUDICES: She doesn’t like dishonesty. She finds it disturbing.

BEST QUALITIES: She takes time to listen and understand. She’s also very intuitive and understands things better (and/or more readily) than other fairies do.

WORST QUALITIES: Even the “good guy” has a few faults. What are you fairy’s?

WEAKNESSES: What is the main weakness in your fairy’s make-up? What is her “Achilles heel”?

HOBBIES: When she’s not being thrashed about in your plot, what doe she like to do?

Laughter and happy murmurs of conversation. Clinking and tinkling. Soft music playing, soft glow accompanying, and delicious smells, all stretching out and warming the chilly night. Something was being borne on that mix of glow and scent and music, up, heading for a particular sparkling pinpoint in the dark sky, subtly sparkling along with flashes of gold and copper. Despite the icy air getting ever icier with ascent, the special bundle was kept perfectly warm amidst spices and light and laughter, heading for her forever home in Pixie Hollow.

Queen Clarion and the leaders of the talent-fairies were gazing up as a bundle of light descended into the heart of the Pixie Dust Tree to the arrival platform.

“That seems much more golden a glow than any fairy arrival we’ve seen before,” drawled Rosetta.

“No, I think it’s more red,” said Iridessa.

“Gold and red? Sounds like orange to me!” said Fawn, bouncing with excitement.

Then they were all hushed as the light bundle finished its final descent to the platform. The light brightened again at the last moment, then faded to its final, softened glow, to reveal a sleeping fairy, her face graced with a peaceful smile.

Breathless, the lead fairies waited. The new fairy’s eyes opened and she batted her long eyelashes, then closed her eyes again but raised her head from the ground.

“Oh, I’ve never had such a lovely dream!” she said, pushing her side bangs out of her hazel eyes. As she brushed the dust from her eyelashes, she looked up and saw for the first time at the fairies beaming down at her. “Why–hello!” she said.

“Welcome to Pixie Hollow!” they chorused.

The new fairy stared, and then laughed with delight. “Why, thank you!” She turned her eyes around the room again and rested them on the queen. “Oh! Oh, I’m sorry! I haven’t been considerate at all!” She stood from the ground where she had been lying and brushed down her skirt, pixie dust showering to the floor and puffing up into clouds, dusting all the surrounding fairies.

The new fairy looked around, watching the glows from all the fairies–and especially the queen–dance on the walls. “I feel as if this has always been my home,” she said.

“So it has,” said the queen. “Every fairy’s heart is connected and drawn to to the source of their life from birth. And here you stand–in the heart of your homeland, the Pixie Dust Tree.”

The new fairy smiled and blushed.

“And every fairy has a purpose here. Every fairy is given a talent. What do you think yours is, dear one?” the queen asked. She gestured with her hands, and up from the ground around arose four pedestals, with four items poised upon them. “There are four choices. You may be a garden-talent.” The lily glowed and lifted slightly. “Or a light-talent.” A bright star grew brighter, dazzling. “Or a water-talent.” The water drop whooshed into one shape after another. “Or you may be an animal-talent.” The butterfly flapped its wings eagerly.

“Oh. I do love animals,” said the new fairy, taking a step toward the butterfly. Fawn bounced even harder, making the new fairy laugh. Her eyes returned to the butterfly. But before she could reach for it, her dream flashed through her mind, taking her back to the place of light and scent.

When she opened her eyes, the star was brilliantly shining. “Oh my!” she said softly. She took a step toward it. The star’s light intensified. “Your majesty,” she said as she took another step. “I believe my talent has chosen me.”

The queen glowed brighter. “You are gifted with great understanding, little one.”

The new fairy put her hand out at last, and the star floated into her palm, where it burst into light so bright it illuminated the entire cavern, making all the fairies throw their hands up over their eyes, except Iridessa.

“Wow,” said Iridessa when it had died down.

“Never seen anything like it,” Terrence marveled.

“Indeed, she will have a very special purpose here in Pixie Hollow,” said the queen. “It remains to be seen what that special purpose will be. For now, dear little one, it is time to discover your name. You were brought here upon a dream.” The new fairy’s face brightened as the queen continued. “Your new dream gave you clues to your talent and purpose here at Pixie Hollow. It also holds the key to your name. Tell us, dear fairy, what your dream showed you.”

The new fairy closed her eyes again to remember. With the star in her hand, she saw it even clearer. The soft glow was from candlelight. It was a holiday occasion in the human world—she could almost catch the name. There was much joy in the room, and the smell of delicious things cooking. The candlelight bouncing off shining decorations and the scent of a particular spice were what had carried her out the window toward Pixie Hollow. Eyes still closed, she raised her eyebrows in surprise as it came to her.

“Cinnamon,” she said aloud as she opened here eyes again. “My name is Cinnamon Copperbeam.”

Laughter echoing among floating flower petals and the scent of violets and lavender. Ground and water far below; floating on a breeze. Warm sunshine and sprinkling rain. A hint of glitter all around. A tall, tall tree. Drifting, gently somersaulting down into the tree in a sweep of flower petals. Light glowing all colors. Dreamy pictures clarifying…

The new fairy batted her eyes gently, as if waking from a deep, peaceful sleep, golden pixie dust showering over her and spilling onto the ground beneath her. Slowly she raised herself to upright and gazed into the eyes of the most beautiful vision she had ever seen: a queen, and no ordinary queen; a queen that dazzled and shimmered with every motion. In here eyes light from a dozen galaxies glowed in love, and the new fairy longed to hear her speak.

“Welcome, new one,” said the queen, her voice all silver and starlight. “Welcome to Pixie Hollow.”

The new fairy finally found her voice. “You’re beautiful,” she marveled.

And the queen laughed like music. “As are you, dear one!” She gestured with her hands, and a wind of pixie dust swirled around the new fairy, and she saw her wings, and gasped with her hands to her face.

“Those are my wings!” she breathed to herself as the new dust shimmered off of them. And then, remembering, she turned back to the queen and said, “I came on the most beautiful dream… Can you tell me what it means?”

The queen nodded and smiled. “I believe we can.”

The new fairy tipped her head back to think. “There were petals. And sunshine. And rain. And the smell! It was so sweet. It smelled purple and white and pink and green all at the same time.”

The queen’s smile grew wider, and she motioned with her hands again. Glowing pedestals appeared in a circle around her, each with an item suspended above it. “Choose one,” spoke the queen.

The new fairy began to turn herself slowly around. There was a hammer made of stone, a perfectly round drop of water, a beaming light, and–a lily. When her eyes lighted upon the lily, it began to glow brighter. The new fairy couldn’t help but break out a big smile. She walked slowly toward it, and it floated toward her, softly spinning. She stretched out a hand and it floated right into her and landed on her palm. Cupping her other hand around the flower, she turned and asked the queen, “What does it mean?”

“We all have talents, little one,” the queen said. “The dream that you arrived on was already telling you what yours is. You are a garden-talent.”

The new fairy beamed.

“And now, little one, we should know what to call you. What is your name?” the queen asked.

Name! What was her name? The new fairy closed her eyes and put herself back into the dream. She could remember it even better now with the glowing lily in her hands. The petals drifting by, the sunshine…That smell, what was it? She put herself deeper in the dream, studying, searching for the names that the smell belonged to–purple flowers, a hint of fruit, and something else tantalizingly sweet. She opened her eyes. “Lavender,” she said. “My name is Lavender Vanillaberry.”